Men living eight years longer and women almost four more years than 25 years ago

Men living eight years longer and women almost four more years than 25 years ago

Published:06:00Monday 27 February 2017

Men are living an average of eight years longer and women almost four years more than just 25 years ago, according to official figures.

And at least half of us can now expect to live well into our eighties for the first time.

In England and Wales for the period 2007 to 2011, the most common age at death was 85.6 for men and 88.3 for women - an increase of 8.2 years and 3.8 years respectively since 1982 to 1986.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also show that the age at which half of the population is expected to be still alive had reached 81.8 for men and 85.3 for women. It stood at 74.7 and 80.7 respectively in 1982 to 1986.

The ONS figures show that In 2007 to 2011 the most common age at death for the men and women classified in the higher managerial and professional occupations was 86.8 and 89.4 - 2.4 and 2.7 years higher than men and women in other jobs.

Since the early to mid 1980s, the change in the most common age at death for men was much larger in the routine occupations compared with the higher managerial and professional occupations, ranging from 9.2 years (75.2 to 84.4 years) in the former and 7.4 years (79.4 to 86.8 years) in the latter.

Asim Butt, of the ONS, said: “In England and Wales, deaths for men peaked at age 85 which is an increase of eight years since the 1980s, while for women they peaked at age 88 and an increase of four years.

“These increases are important to consider for both pension provision now and in the long term and also for health and social care need.”